An elderly woman in town got a call on March 26, congratulating her on the millions she “won” in a lottery. To claim the prize, she was told to buy $3,500 in CVS gift cards. She did, and the con artist had her read the security code numbers on the back, which gave him access to the money.

Next, the woman was told to buy $5,000 in money orders and send them by next-day delivery to Florida. She mailed the money, then became worried it was a scam and contacted Ryder.

The detective intercepted the package and saved the $5,000, but the woman is out the $3,500 from CVS gift cards.

Within two weeks, a second elderly woman in Middleboro almost fell for the same scam. A con artist called that woman and said she had won $3 million and a Mercedes, but she’d need CVS gift cards to collect the prize. The elderly woman called the police.

Ryder warned her, but a few hours later the woman tried to buy gift cards at the CVS in Lakeville. Ryder was alerted by a clerk and talked the woman out of falling for the swindle. The elderly woman claimed she was only going to give them $20 and see what happened.

Ryder said there may be other victims too embarrassed to come forward.

In one case, the targeted victim didn’t fall for it and contacted police. But another man bought the gift cards.

“He doesn’t realize yet it was a scam, we just couldn’t get ahead of it,” Hanlon said.

It can be any kind of money card – swindlers use generic Visa cards, grocery cards and other pharmacy cards.

Hanlon said his best advice is: “If it’s too good to be true, it isn’t, it is a scam.”

The chief said scam artists play a numbers game, calling hundreds of people and most don’t fall for it. But, he added, “There’s always one or two people that make it lucrative.”

Hanlon understood why the Middleboro woman ignored Ryder’s warning.

“They (con men) are very persuasive getting people to do what they want,” he said. “If they weren’t successful, they wouldn’t do it.”

Page 2 of 2 - Abington Police Chief David G. Majenski said the scam has yet to be reported in his town, but doubts his residents are immune. Many victims don’t come forward.

“Don’t think you’re wasting our time, that’s what we get paid for,” he advised. “You may have the piece to the puzzle we need” to catch the con artist.

Majenski also cautioned about scams purportedly from banks and financial institutions that ask for personal information to be updated. “Don’t give it out, if they contact you it’s a big red flag,” he said.

Fake lottery scams are common fraud schemes, according to the FBI, which says people should never pay for a “free” prize, and if a caller says payment is for taxes, he or she is violating federal law.